Paddleboard in Paradise

Willkommen to wine tasting and tail-wagging fun in Leavenworth and Wenatchee, Washington, where a plethora of outdoor adventures await.

Written by Jessica Williams | Photos by Julie Austin

Leavenworth and Wenatchee are just a hop, skip and a jump over the mountains and boast an average of 202 sunny days a year.

With a plethora of outdoor recreation opportunities, Leavenworth’s reputation as a mecca for outdoor adventure almost surpasses its reputation as a quaint Bavarian village. The same weather and plentiful water turned its neighbor Wenatchee into the “Apple Capital of the World.” You know what else this mild weather grows well? Grapes. Wenatchee has become one of Washington’s premier wine regions and both communities offer ample opportunities to enjoy the best life has to offer you and your four-legged friend.

The Leavenworth-Wenatchee region is ideal for adventure hounds, because you and your pooch can play hard by day and seriously unwind at night. Your options for playing on the water range from a dog-friendly inner-tube float on the river, paddleboarding or catching some rays from a pontoon boat. Don’t forget about all of the great hiking trails too if you want to mix things up.

In the evening, you and your pooch can rest and enjoy a (human) brew on a patio or sit back, relax, and sip wine in one of the dog friendly tasting rooms. Both towns also have a beautiful riverside trail where you and your dog can take a relaxing evening stroll.

One of the most welcoming hotels for pooches in Leavenworth is the Icicle Village Resort. Their pooch-loving staff, sweet doggie gift bag and large, grassy pet garden out back earned them the Fido’s Favorite award from BringFido in 2014. Their complimentary breakfast at JJ Hills Fresh Grill has a reputation as one of the best in Leavenworth. While your dog can’t dine in the restaurant with you, one of the nice front desk staff will usually hold your pooch for a minute while you pop in and grab something to eat out in the lobby.

The cute Bavarian-themed downtown section of Leavenworth is only a mile walk from the hotel and a perfect distance for working up an appetite to eat at one of the many dog-friendly restaurants. Choose between grabbing a burger and sneaking your dog some fries at Fresh Burger Café, dipping chunks of bread in the legendary fondue from Uncle Uli’s Pub, enjoying a classic German brat at the Munchen Haus, or grabbing a slice at the Leavenworth Pizza Company.

After dinner, if beer is your libation of choice, head over to Icicle Brewing Company. You’ll know you’re there by the smell of warm hops wafting out of the taproom. Across the street you can lounge on an outdoor loveseat and sip wine at Icicle Ridge Winery or enjoy a few sips indoors at Goose Ridge Estate tasting room.

If you want your base for the weekend to be Wenatchee, you can’t go wrong with The Coast Hotel. It’s right in the center of the historic downtown area and is within walking distance to an array of great entertainment and shopping as well as loads of riverfront activities. They welcome doggie guests with a little gift bag of treats and for human guests, a list of dog-friendly wineries in the area.

A short walk across a bridge from the hotel takes you to the Pybus Public Market, a year-round farmers market with local shops. Enjoy a fresh modern Latin dinner on the patio at SOUTH or a beer at the Wenatchee Valley Brewing Company. You can walk off food and drinks on the nearby Apple Capital Loop Trail. It’s an 11-mile paved multi-use loop trail along the river that crosses the Columbia at the north and south ends. If you are a night owl, the trail is lighted until midnight on the west side.

If it’s a weekend between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., you can “park” your dog at Club Pet for $5 an hour while you explore the rest of the market for an hour or two. Don’t feel bad for leaving Fido out of the fun because you’re helping other animals. Club Pet is operated by the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society and all of the proceeds go to support homeless animals.

In the morning, head down the street to Café Mela for coffee roasted in-house. If your day includes wine tasting, start at Stemilt Creek Winery a few blocks away. You also don’t want to miss Chateau Faire LePont. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more dog-friendly winery. They have two winery dogs, a fenced off leash area with a beautiful garden, and a Yappy Hour every Friday night in the summer.
If your agenda includes adventure, the perfect place to escape the heat with your pooch is on the water. Float the Wenatchee River in an inner-tube with Blue Sky Outfitters, take your own stand-up-paddleboard (SUP)—or rent one from Osprey Rafting Company—and head to Lake Wenatchee, Fish Lake or Confluence State Park to SUP with your pup. At Cove Resort at Fish Lake, you can also rent pontoon boats for a more leisurely time on the water. The resort has life jackets for people, but if you forgot one for your pooch, swing by A Paw Above in Leavenworth, where you will find doggie life jackets and pretty much everything else you need for your adventures in the area.